By CHARLES IWUOHA

The police in Ebonyi State have announced the killing of some suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) in their forest hideout in the state.

A statement made available to newsmen in Abakaliki on Sunday by Ebonyi Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), SP Chris Anyanwu, said that many other suspects escaped with bullet injuries.

Anyanwu said that several other suspects were arrested during the operation in a thick forest close to Opeke River, in Omege village, Agba, in lshielu Local Government Area of the state.

According to the statement, the feat was recorded in a bid to sustain “the laudable tempo of proactiveness with the desire to rid the state of crime and criminality especially as the Yuletide/Political seasons have set-in.”

“The Ebonyi State Police Command under the able leadership of CP Aliyu Garba armed with credible intelligence, stormed three big Camps of the outlawed IPOB/ESN operatives (including a new one under active construction), located in a thick forest close to Opeke River, in Omege village Agba Community, of Ishielu LGA,” the statement said.

It further disclosed that the operation was spearheaded by the Command’s Tactical teams, assisted by other sister agencies including the Military and DSS in the State.

Anyanwu disclosed that the operation was prompted “by quantum pieces of reliable evidence, professionally elicited from interrogation of Nnamdi Ngwuta Obaji aka State Commander No. 3 and another operative of the outlawed group, Felix Ogudu, earlier arrested.”

“While accessing/cordoning the Camps, the combined teams were ambushed by the criminal elements with rains of sporadic shooting in their direction.

“Without hesitation, the allied team swiftly responded and engaged them in same manner and of course their superior fire power subdued the miscreants, who chanted morale-boosting war songs, divided into the Opeke River and swarm to different directions as they scampered for safety,” Anyanwu said.

Other incriminating exhibits from the suspects, he disclosed, include 11 bullet-proof jackets, 8 sets of military camouflage uniforms, 2 camp-gas cookers, 110 rounds of FNC live ammunition, 40 rounds of GPMG live ammunition, 2 PRO electronics scanners (EOD equipment), 5 empty canons, 5 single-barrel guns, 9 assorted GSM handsets, 3 locally-fabricated revolver pistols, 1 white Toyota Hilux vehicle, a bunch of keys, 3 NIN slips bearing different names, 1 exercise book with coded names/GSM numbers of the suspects,1 voter’s card, 3 hammers, 2 Assault rifle butts, 25 camping mosquito nets, fetish substances suspected to be charms,1 Mercedes Benz 190 car with Reg No. SKA 306 AA, 1 Biafran-map Calendar and their sundry other insignia/accoutrements.

“The Commissioner of Police therefore implores the good citizens of Ebonyi State to assist the Command with credible and reliable information that would help to arrest the hoodlums in order to rid the State of heinous crimes, especially during the fast approaching Christmas/New Year celebrations as well as the Electioneering period.

“The CP further advised the political gladiators to eschew the practice of hiring thugs before, during and after the 2023 elections,” the statement added.